Shadows of Imawano, Heart of Bushin
by Blazing Kusanagi
Summary: After the events of Project Justice, Kyosuke is wandering the world, unable to forgive himself for fratricide. He ends up in Metro City, but he never expected to meet Guy the 39th Bushin Master.


Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. If I did, then there would be a Rival Schools 3, Darkstalkers 4 (YES I KNOW ONO SAID THERE MIGHT BE ONE) with the older Anita in Dee's ending, and Guy, Yun/Yang and Remy would be in Street Fighter IV (it was already stated by Capcom that FF characters were unlikely, then again he did say no Gouken, but he's in it)

AN: This is a oneshot, and I put both English and Japanese attack names for Kyosuke as the English translations for Rival Schools was somewhat half-hearted. Genei means something more like illusion or phantom (according to fan-translations), not shadow.

--

A harsh, foreboding wind blew in the streets of Metro City. It was completely barren, with no signs of movement. People knew better than to come out during this time of night. Even though both the Mad Gear and Skull Cross had long since disbanded, yet the citizens were still left unreasonably paranoid from the incident, or one could say it had become a habit at that point.

However, one figure could be seen, with his back facing the sunset. Kyosuke scratched his combed-down orange hair and sighed.

_When I realized the true meaning of friendship…which completely contradicted my father's teachings…I became much stronger…_

Kyosuke looked down at his closed fist, opened it, then clenched it again. Though he was loath to admit it, he slightly missed his street brawls at school.

_It's been nearly three years since I left Batsu and the others at Taiyo High…yet I can still hear their voices…calling out to me… I wonder if they are searching for me even now…_

The smiling faces of his classmates formed in his mind.

_Batsu...such belligerence and blatant stupidity… Hinata…with her cheerful and overzealous nature… How could I ever forget them…? I know my friends will always be with me through and through…however this is my own problem, I have to face it myself._

The friends of his faces evanesced and reformed in Hyo's likeness…not as the cruel, Machiavellian president of Justice High, but as the friendly and gentle child that he once was.

_How are you doing…bro? If only you were alive… _

"I've finally found you, traitor!" said a voice from above.

Kyosuke looked up then dexterously evaded three kunai; a figure wearing a black robe and with a cloth masking his face emerged from the shadows.

"Imawano Kyosuke…, you will breathe your last!" yelled the ninja as he unsheathed a long katana from the scabbard on his back.

"Breathe you last, huh? How cliché for a ninja…," said Kyosuke as he readjusted his glasses, "The Imawano are rather persistent…aren't they?"

"Silence, Imawano Kyosuke! As ninja, we cannot allow the secrets of our clan to be revealed to the outside world…," said the assassin.

"Imawano Kyosuke, huh? I no longer recognize that name… I am Kagami Kyosuke, and family ties to you ruffians will never change that!" said Kyosuke.

The ninja's eyes narrowed as he charged, "You dare to call us masters of sabotage, espionage, and assassination ruffians?"

Kyosuke managed to dodge the swing; "Too slow!" then Kyosuke knocked the blade out of his hands with a rapid somersault, "Sabotage? Espionage? Don't make me laugh! Allow me to give you a reality check…ninjutsu serves little purpose to the bulk of modern populations, and only attracts negative publicity and students with idealistic expectations…,"

The assailant jumped back few meters, growled, and threw a wave of six kunai, Kyosuke cartwheeled to avoid the knives, but the ninja had thrown a second set the moment he got on his feet.

_Damn, can't dodge them in time... I guess I must resort to "those techniques"._

"Genei Ueevu (Shadow Wave)!" Kyosuke leapt into the air and made a slashing motion with his arms, forming a crescent-shaped wave of energy that knocked away all the kunai.

The ninja laughed, "Hah! You claim that ninjas are obsolete, yet your usage of our clan's skills contradicts your beliefs."

"Shut up, I may retain the teachings, but I have discarded my heritage," exclaimed Kyosuke, "Besides, isn't the Imawano the source of all my anguish and suffering I had to endure in the first place?"

Kyosuke jumped into the air and somersaulted with a Genei Kikku (Shadow-Cutter Kick), knocking the ninja away, but as he landed, his opponent threw several small objects at Kyosuke's feet.

"Damn…caltrops!"

Kyosuke turned around, his back was facing a wall that read Mad Gear Rulez. Then the ninja threw two shuriken that pinned Kyosuke's sleeves to the wall.

The ninja gloated in triumph, "The makibishi limit your movement, and you can't use ninjutsu with your arms rendered helpless. You have no where to run!"

"You may try to escape, but do you think I'll give you enough time?" the ninja unsheathed a second katana and threw it at Kyosuke, exclaiming "You're finished!"

Kyosuke closed his eyes, _It seems I must accept death, bro…wait for me…_

Kyosuke waited for the time that the blade would strike him, but strangely it never came, then he heard a scream. When Kyosuke opened his eyes, he saw the ninja sprawled on the floor unconscious and a stranger in a trenchcoat, yet his features were obscured by the shade cast by his baseball cap. With the katana, the stranger knocked away the shuriken. Kyosuke was able to slowly walk out of the trap while avoiding the caltrops.

.

"Are you alright?"

"That appears to be the case…," Kyosuke regained his composure and adjusted his glasses, "And you are...?"

The man took off his cap and coat, revealing a man with stern, angular face and scowl, and bangs long enough to cover his eyes. He was clad in a crimson-orange gi with Japanese characters on it.

"I am Guy, the current and thirty-ninth master of the Bushin-Ryu Ninpo."

"Bushin…as in 'Warrior God'?" asked Kyosuke, "So you're that vigilante ninja who brought down the Mad Gear Gang. The heir to a martial art that has endured for centuries… 'When a threat to the world arises, so will the shadow of Bushin'… Am I correct?"

"Yes…that would be me," said Guy, "Though I do not deserve all the credit, as Cody Travers and Mayor Michael Haggar was alongside me."

"Cody Travers…isn't he the thug who was sent to prison due to his fights?" asked Kyosuke.

"I would not call him a thug…yet what you say is true…," sighed Guy, "It is his path, even as his…best…friend I have no say in his destiny… So why did you betray your clan?"

"How did you…?" Kyosuke began to ask.

"Ninjas only show that much ferocity when dealing with traitors," assured Guy, "Assuming from the symbol on the katana you were attacked with, I believe you are from the Imawano. The Imawano… They are one of the few shinobi clans that the Bushin frown upon. It's Machiavellian policy that friendships are worthless and society must be cleansed by force was never too appealing to us."

"I have a favor to ask of you…," Kyosuke began.

Guy raised his eyebrows, "And that is…?"

Kyosuke readjusted his glasses (for the third time) and entered his unique battle stance, which had a magnificent yet deadly air about it, "I wish to see the true power of the Bushin style with my own eyes."

Guy folded his arms and closed his eyes, "I see little point in doing so…but as a practitioner of the Bushin style, I cannot refuse a challenge."

Holding up two fingers in front of his face, Guy exclaimed, "It is an honor to face one who also bears the ancient blood of shinobi in his veins… Don't expect me to hold back, prepare yourself!"

Instantly, Guy disappeared from sight. As Kyosuke turned, he saw a crimson flash lunging towards him that kicked Kyosuke in the chest, knocking him down. As the prefect staggered to his feet, he winced in pain, but smiled.

"Always on the run from my enemies, I haven't had an enjoyable battle like this in…," Kyosuke tossed a pair of energy waves; one was aimed for Guy's head and one aimed at his feet, "Ages! Kurosu Kata (Cross Cutter)!!"

The Bushin ninja lifted one arm and lowered another. Guy caught both upper and lower projectiles with his bare hands and crushed them until they dissipated. Energy in the shape of smoke seeped out between Guy's fingers. Having blocked Kyosuke's trademark technique with relative ease, Guy charged and began pummeling Kyosuke with his fists, jumped back with a somersault, and rushed in and kicked Kyosuke square in the face. With his sleeve, Kyosuke wiped the blood that was trickling down his mouth. Seeing his chance, Guy elbowed Kyosuke, but the prefect was able to block the strike, then struck Guy in the chest with an open hand.

Guy flinched for a second, "I see your fighting style is rather on the defensive side; you slowly analyze your opponents moves, and calmly consider your choices before making a decision. After you figure out how your enemy attacks, you predict and counter their attacks."

Guy reattained his stance, "However the downfall of you calculating types is that you have to think… Because you think, the actions come out more slowly than if you had just acted in the first place. Please forgive me…for holding back."

Guy lifted two fingers and vanished, but at a much faster rate than before. Then Guy began running so quickly that Kyosuke could only see afterimages of him here and there. It appeared as if seven Bushin ninjas were all closing in on an opponent. Kyosuke tried to focus on the real Guy, but the shinobi's speed proved to be too much for a human's eyes.

Kyosuke swung his arms downward in an arc, and threw a Cross Cutter aimed at two Guys, yet they both turned out to be afterimage

"Sorry, that was just an illusion," the real Guy grabbed Kyosuke by the shoulder, punched him twice in the chest, and then threw him a fair distance.

_Damn, he's attacking me so quickly that I have no chance to counter him…_

Kyosuke staggered back to his feet.

"Give it up…you can't beat what you can't see," Guy said as he once again disappeared in a flash.

Guy charged in and tried to strike Kyosuke's from behind, then the prefect turned around.

"Raijin Apaa (Lightning Upper)!" Kyosuke exclaimed as he uppercutted, and a bolt of lightning burst forth from the ground, sending Guy into the air and electrifying him at the same time. Guy fell to the ground, he got up to his knees, but the electricity was still coursing through his body, effectively paralyzing him.

_It appears that this is the first time I got a clean shot, doesn't it. Despite his great speed, he must close in to strike, thus he is vulnerable to a counter within the few seconds he charges at me._

Guy said nothing then broke his frown (for the first time) and smiled "Now I recognize your techniques… The trail of lightning that follows the palm, the Raijin arts… The phantom waves of sacred illusions, the Genei style… You seem to use these ancient Imawano ninja techniques in a more…modern…fashion, yet they are still recognizable. This is getting…interesting."

"This is just the beginning," exclaimed Kyosuke as he charged his fist with lightning and leapt into the air, "Genei Bureika (Shadow Breaker)!"

Unfortunately, Guy had broken free from the electricity and sidestepped, as the ground that was under him was demolished as it was struck with a bolt of lightning.

_This is my chance!_

"Suppa Raijin Appa (Super Lightning Upper)!" Kyosuke summoned a huge crackling pillar of lightning that burst forth from the ground. Guy was able to step back to keep damage at a minimum, but he was left open.

"Daburu Genei Kikku (Double Shadow-Cutter Kick)!" Kyosuke quickly somersaulted with white energy around his foot the moment Guy sidestepped and kicked the bushin ninja in the jaw, knocking him into the air, then somersaulted again striking Guy in the same spot. Then he shot another crescent-shaped Shadow Wave that struck Guy on the chest, but unlike the others, the projectile didn't dissipate upon impact until it knocked Guy back on the ground.

Before Guy could recover back to his feet, Kyosuke used his finisher, "Kakusan Kurosu Kata (Hyper Cross Cutter)!!"

Kyosuke threw five waves of energy at Guy. Two were aimed high, two were aimed low, while one went directly toward Guy. Guy jumped back to avoid them, yet the projectiles arced together to form one large energy beam that struck Guy. Though it was strong enough to knock him down, Guy staggered back up.

"Not bad…but I can see that those three techniques you just used were your most powerful moves, thus this is the limit of your abilities," said Guy, "You see the Bushin-ryu Ninpo is meant for taking out multiple, weaker opponents, rather than one strong opponent… However there is one technique created for situations such as these…"

Guy leapt toward Kyosuke and grabbed his black undershirt…and then all was pitch black…

"BUSHIN MUSOURENKA!"

All Kyosuke could feel were the overwhelming blows of Guy's fist. His attacks were so rapid that the consecutive blow was struck before he could truly comprehend the pain of the previous strike. He was completely sightless, save for the white flashes that appeared whenever Guy's silhouette struck him.

Then with a final kick, Kyosuke was knocked into the air, and Guy jumped back and turned around, once again lifting two fingers in front of his face.

Kyosuke lost consciousness before his feet touched the ground.

…………

'F-father?! It can't be!' exclaimed Kyosuke, but it was unmistakable, his father, Imawano Mugen, stood before him.

'You couldn't do anything to save Hyo, your own brother…Kyosuke…you're pathetic…,' rebuked Imawano.

Kyosuke furiously tried covering his ears with his palms, but to no avail. His father's voice still rung in his ears…

_Ugh…my father is dead…it's just an illusion, but how?! Have my inner demons manifested into these hallucinations?!_

His father continued to mock him, 'Whenever you were training he was faster…stronger…he was more skilled than you could ever be… You were weak…'

Kyosuke angrily glared at the image of his father…electricity cackled in his right palm.

'You were jealous weren't you…,' Mugen barked in a harsh inhuman voice, 'that's why you killed him. Were you not the one who landed the final blow?'

"Damn you!" exclaimed Kyosuke as he jabbed his open palm at his father's chest. Kyosuke could see his hand protruding from his father's back.

Mugen grinned as his body dissolved into a black mist. The haze twisted and turned until it formed a silhouette of a many headed serpent. The mist cleared to reveal a five-headed hydra…each with Hyo's face. Hissing, the snakes wrapped around Kyosuke, rendering him immobile.

'Dammit…release me!' shouted Kyosuke, but the serpents jeered at him.

'You couldn't save me!'

'You were jealous of me!'

'You just let me die!'

'You're despicable!'

'Join me in hell Kyosuke!'

Those words pierced Kyosuke's conscience like poisoned arrows that spread throughout his body. The harder Kyosuke attempted to break free of their grasp, the more heads sprouted from the hydra's body. Soon hundreds of sneering Hyos were all glaring at a Kyosuke. Suddenly, Kyosuke saw his friends standing not to far away. Batsu was wolfing down a bento lunch. Roberto was showing off tricks with his soccer ball. Natsu and Hinata were laughing as they told jokes. Shoma and Edge were having a juggling contest. Gan was chuckling as he lifted up an irritated Akira on his shoulders. Yet no one…no one…was looking at Kyosuke, nor seemed to notice the dilemma he was in.

"Please…help…me…," Kyosuke called out to his friends, but no words came out of his mouth.

Even more people came, Sakura joined in on Hinata's conversation. Boman was arm wrestling with Roy while Tiffany was cheering. Momo leapt into the air and glomped Shoma, resulting in several baseballs falling on his head. As Edge caught all his knives and laughed in triumph, Daigo appeared and smacked Edge on the back, knocking him over. Ran was snapping pictures of the irritated Chairperson. Hideo and Kyoko were calmly listening to Yurika playing the violin. Zaki and Nagare seemed uninterested in the conversation but they still hung around.

_It…would be better if they were mocking me as well…I can't stand them ignoring me… _

"They're that important to you, huh?" sneered the hydra, "Your friends have abandoned you Kyosuke, no one can help you now…"

_THAT'S NOT TRUE!_

Kyosuke woke up from the nightmare, he was in a hotel bed, 'that dream again.'

"Oh, have you woken up?" asked the bellboy who just entered the room, "This grumpy-looking Asian man came in and brought you here. Boy, although he kept a cool head, it was clear he was quite worried about you."

Kyosuke removed his white coat to see bandages wrapped around his chest, "Is that…right?"

"Oh, and he left this letter for you…," said the bellboy as he took a folded piece of paper out of his pocket.

While Kyosuke expected a long list talking about the virtues and philosophies of the shinobi, the letter only had a small paragraph…

_I don't know what happened in your past, nor does it matter much to me…but during our fight I noticed something. It's your eyes…they were those of a corpse. One that has lost all purpose in life, neither truly dead nor alive… I have seen those eyes only once before, from a man whom I considered my best friend, but later became a mere thug. He had lost everything…his allies, his mentor, his girlfriend… Even when we were reunited, his eyes didn't change, too much had passed. You are still young, I do not wish for you to suffer a similar fate… Never forget, you are never truly alone…_

(AN: Yes, Guy is referring to Cody)

_Oh, and by the way, this is my email address. Tell me if you ever need my help or want a rematch._

_NikeDunks(underscore)BushinMaster39 at cap(dot)com _

Kyosuke couldn't help but laugh, "He is a legendary ninja, yet he still has an email address? Hahaha…"

Kyosuke looked out the window and gazed at the night sky and saw the faces of his friends among the stars.

Kyosuke adjusted his glasses one last time before sighing, "But…he's right… I've been trapped in the darkness for far too long… How could I forget such a fundamental lesson? Hinata… Batsu… Everyone wait for me…I'm coming back…"


End file.
